Headlight director



March 16 1926;

. 1,576,812 J. v. CUNNIFF HEADLIGHT DIRECTOR Filed March 10 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W by ZOFHGyS.

Man]: 16 1926. 1,576,812

- J. v. CUNNIFF HEADLIGHT nmnc'ron Filed March 10, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A if 0/" 1761/5- Patented Mar. 16, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOE-N CU-NNIFF, F GRAHA'M, GAL'EEORNILA, ASSUZGNOR 01- GNE H'ALE T0 MABIl-I N .KRQEG'ER, (DEE-150$ ANGCEIZES, GALIFQIRNIA.

irnanmensn nmncmon,

Application filed. Marchj10,.1925. .seriarno. 14,462.

To all whom it may concern.)

Be itknown that I, Jenn V. CUNNIFIT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Graham, in thecounty of LosAngeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Headlight Direcr tors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in headlight directors. and is especially can improvementv over the device disclosed in my prior patent, No. 1,489.981, issued April 8., 1924:. v

. .An object of this invention isto provide a detachable means for connecting the headlightsiot a @vehicle to :the steering mechanism of the 'yehicle, so. that the light thrown from theheadlights may bedirected by the-steering mechanism and sothat the operative connection between the headlights and the. steering mechanism maybe disconnected so that the headlights will .not beidirected, if so desired. By connecting .the headlights to the steering mechanism of a vehicle,

slightly additional load .is placed upon the steering mechanism so .that it is that much more difiicult to steer-the vehicle. By providingIthe detachable means for connecting the headlights to the steering mechanism of the vehicle, the .headlightscan be detached from'the-steering mechanism during the day time .and itllllS facilitate steering the vehicle when the headlights are not employed.

A .further object of this invention is to provide means for maintaining the headlights in a predetermined ,position when disconnected ,trom thesteering mechanism.

With the doregoing and other objects in view which will be mademanifest in the following detailed description and ,pointed out in the appended claims, reference is bad to the accompanying drawings .for an illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein:

I Figure 1 .is a perspective view of the .ap-

paratus as applied to a vehicle,; showing automobile parts in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of oneoi' the members constituting a part of the apparatus, whichiscmounted upon the vehicle;

Fig. 3. is a vertical section taken substan tial'lyon the line i3,'3. ofFi-g. 1.;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the detachable means whereby the "head lights can be disconnected .fromthe steering mechanism; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a slightl modified formof construction.

' 'Referri'ng'to the accompanying drawings wherein similar referencecharacters desig nate similar parts .throug'hout,v the headlights are'in theformof cylindrical shells Qr drums 10, as disclosed in my prior patent, which are supported upon the tenders of the vehicle as by brackets '11. The drums 10 maybe of any suitable constructionand are provided with lenses 12. As disclosed in my prior patent, there are movable reflectors Within the drums '10, which are mounted upon spindles '13. Cranks 14; are

provided uponthe lowerends of the spindles 18 and these ranks are connected by .a transverse link 15. Upon the front of the vehicle, preferably across the radiator, there is mounted a member 116, which mayhave mounted thereon suitable bearings "17, Within Which the link"15 is slidable.

A lever or actuating arm '18 is rigidly mounted upon the transverse steering knuckle connectinglink 19, as indicated at 20. The upper end of the lever-18 is provided Witha recess 21. Adjacent the centerof the link '15 there is a member 22 ,Wl1iQh has one end disposed about'the link "15so as tobe pivoted thereto. A slot'23is formed in .the member 22, Which is adapted to reeeivea pin 24 mounted upon the link I5. In this manner, the member 22 is pivoted upon the link 1'5 'butis not slidable thereon, and lateral movement of the member 22 Will produce lateral sliding of the link15- and rotationoif the spindles 13, .upon whi h he reflectors are mounted. The forward end of the member 22 is leasivablein the notch or recess .21 in the upper endof the'lever18.

' A latch member 25 extends through one side of the lever 18 and into the notch '21. This latch member is disposed within a bore 26, anda coil spring 27 is compressed about the latch member 25 within the bore 26 and urges the latch into the position shown in Fig. 4:, wherein the latch 25 serves to maintain the member 22 within the recess 21. A suitable handle 28 is provided upon the latch member 25, permittingthe latch member to be withdrawn into the bore 26 so that the member 22 can be removed from the notch 21.

Upon the member 16 there is placed a retaining device 29 having resilient fingers 30, and when the member 22 is withdrawn from the notch or recess 21 so as to disengage the headlight from the steering mechanism of the vehicle, it maybe forced between the resilient lingers 30 and thus maintained in a predetermined position so that the reflectors within the drums 10 cannot swing about therein.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5, the

member 16 having the bearings 17 thereon is provided, and the member carries the retaining device 29 with its resilient fingers 30. The transverse link 15 has the member 22 pivoted thereto, as before, and is adapted to ,be placed between two levers 31 and 32,

a the steering mechanism.

whichare pivoted as at 33 and 34 respectively to the upper end of the lever or actuating arm 18. A cross bar 35 is rigidly secured upon the lever 18 and coil springs 36 and 37 have their ends attached to the ends of the cross bar 35 and are also connected to the lower ends of the levers 31 and 32. In this manner the levers 31 and 32 are urged into engagement with the sides of the member 22 and effectively prevent rattling. The upper ends of the levers 31 and 32 are bent toward each other to limit the upward movement of the member 22. A stop 38 is mounted upon the lever 18 between them. The construction in Fig. 5 not only provides an anti-rattling connection between the steering mechanism of the vehicle and the headlights, but also provides a yieldable or resilient connection between the steering mechanism and the headlights. In this manner if the turn or rotation of the headlights or' their reflectors is limited, the limited movement of the headlights does not interfere with the movement of the steering mechanism.

From the above it is believed to be readily apparent that I have provided an improved construction over that disclosed in my prior patent, wherein means is provided for detachably connecting the headlights to the steering mechanism, and means is also provided for maintaining the headlights in a predetermined position with respect to the vehicle when they are disconnected. from Although my above described invention has been described as having refiectors within the drums 10 mounted upon the spindles 13, it is to be understood that the drums 10 may be mounted upon the spindles 13 and be rotated thereby, if so desired.

It will be understood that various changes in the details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a vehicle, a transverse link associated with the headlights of the vehicle capable upon lateral movement of directing the light thrown therefrom, a lever mounted upon the steering mechanism of the vehicle, a member pivoted upon said link adapted to engage upon said lever, and means for detachably maintaining said member in engagement with said lever whereby said headlights may be controlled by said steering mechanism.

2. In combination with a vehicle, a transverse link associated with the headlights of the vehicle capable upon lateral movement of directing the light thrown therefrom, a lever mounted upon the steering mechanism of the vehicle, means for detachably connecting said link to said lever, and means for maintaining said means in a predetermined position when detached so that the light thrown from said headlights will remain stationary with respect to said vehicle.

3. In combination with a vehicle, a transverse link associated with the headlights of the vehicle capable upon lateral movement of directing the light thrown therefrom, a lever mounted upon the steering mechanism of the vehicle, a member pivoted upon said link adapted to engage upon said lever, means for detachably maintaining said member in engagement with said lever whereby said headlights may be controlled by said steering mechanism, and a retaining device mounted upon the vehicle adapted to retain said member in a predetermined position when disengaged from said lever as and for the purpose described. 7

4. In combination with a vehicle, a transverse link associated with the headlights of the vehicle, a member secured to the vehicle providing bearings in which said link is slidable, a lever actuated by the steering mechanism of the vehicle, a second member pivoted to said link adapted to engage said lever whereby said headlights may be directed by said steering mechanism, means for detachably maintaining said second member in engagement with said lever, and a retaining means mounted upon the first mentioned member adapted to receive said second member when disengaged from said lever and maintain it in a predetermined position as and for the purpose described.

5. In combination with a vehicle, a transverse link associated with the headlights of the vehicle, a member secured to the vehicle providing bearings in which said link is slidable a lever actuated by the steering mechanism of the vehicle, levers pivoted upon said lever, spring means for urging said levers toward each other, and a member pivoted to said transverse link adapted to be positioned between said levers and resiliently retained therebetween as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JOHN V. CUNNIFF. 

